Spatial distribution of transalpine flows

Two thirds of transalpine transport originates from Italy, Austria or Germany and more than 70% has its destination in one of these countries.

The spatial structure of the flows differs between the Alpine countries:

More than half of the total flows through French and Swiss Alpine crossings have their destination in Italy, whereas such flows account only for 30% of Alpine crossing transport in Austria.

More than 20% of the Swiss and Austrian crossing flows start in Germany; in France such flows are negligible.

Conversely, loading in Spain and Portugal represents more than 10% of flows crossing France but is negligible in the two other Alpine countries.

Traffic flows to and from Italy and Austria show a rate of growth slightly below the average, around 15% within five years, whereas flows to and from Germany grow more quickly than the average.

The countries with the most dynamic growth are the Balkan countries (including Turkey and Greece), Romania and Bulgaria, but also, among Western European Countries, Spain, Portugal, UK and Ireland.

Transport to and from France, Benelux countries and Scandinavia shows rather low rates of growth, tonnages loaded in Scandinavia have even decreased.

Italy, the group of the Balkan countries and UK are receiving by far more goods wich are being transported over the Alps than they are sending, Germany, France, the Benelux countries and the North-Eastern countries are sending a much higher amount they are receiving.

Considering the share of Alpine countries crossed, a shift from France to Switzerland and Austria between 1999 an 2004 can be observed.